Work holder for metal working machines



Aug. 14, 1962 G. o. CONNER WORK HOLDER FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 12, 1951 R R E m N m N V 0 N 0 5mm w a m S J Y r H /////F/ A B \w\ Q QQ w$ Q w R R NR Q QR s 9% N. ?& Nfi Q%.\ wN\% R 1| 1 Q 3 s 8 2 m 3 L. 11 i IH .1 1 I SNP I l l HwUn I wv QR R h R .i R 2 w N k II R 4 R NM 3 R m N\ RN QR v N w Na NR s M R R 2% E E a RR R a 3 3 3 A k;

ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 e. o. CONNER WORK HOLDER FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 12, 1951 INVENTOR EU) 0. GOA/IVER BY w ATTOENEV Aug. 14, 1962 e. o. CONNER 3,049,222

WORK HOLDER FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Original Filed Marc l l 12, 1951 3 Sheets-sheet 5 GUY 0. CON/VER 3,049,222 WQRK HOLDER FOR NETAL WGRKWG MACHINES Guy 0. Conner, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Repubiic Steel Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application Mar. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 723,872, which is a division of application Ser. No. 215,131, Mar. 12, 1951. Divided and this application May 31, 1961, Ser. No.

3 Claims. c1. 19s 210 This invention relates to a work holder for metal working machines. This application is a division of my application for United States patent, Serial No. 723,879, filed March 25, 1958, for Work Holder for lietal Working Machines, said application being, in turn, a division of my application for United States patent, Serial No. 215,-

131, filed March 12, 1951, for Nut Tapping Machine Having Releasable Tap Holding Means to Discharge Tapped Nuts Therefrom, now Patent No. 2,828,492. More particularly, the invention relates to rotary work holding turrets adapted for use in a metal working machine of the k nd shown in said United States patent.

It is an object of this invention to provide a work holding mechanism for machine tools, which is particularly adapted to accommodate tubular workpieces such that metal working tools may perform work on the inner surfaces of the workpieces.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a disk-like rotary work holder for metal working machines having a plurality of work holding clamps spaced about the circumference thereof, together with means for automatically loading workpieces into the work holding clamps and automatically discharging finished workpieces therefrom.

These objects and advantages will become more apparent as the following description of the invention is read and other objects and advantages will appear from a reading of the specification in conjunction with the drawings forming a part of this application, in which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal medial sectional view through the machine which embodies the feature of the invention herein;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevational view of a work holding mechanism with portions removed to show underlying parts;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a clamping member and its associated parts used in the work holder of FIG. 2.

In my aforesaid patent, I have described an entire metal working machine in which the work holder herein may be employed. Since the disclosure in said patent is set out in substantial detail, the specific features of the machine, as a whole, and aside from the particular work holder herein, will be described only to the extent necessary to make understandable the present invention and its environment.

In the drawings, I have used the character 1-0 to designate the base on which the machine is mounted. A main drive motor (not shown) is mounted at one end of the base and is connected to a drive shaft 12 by a suitable coupling. The supporting structure for the machine includes end standards 14 which comprise not only end supports for the machine but also housings for the gear hired htates Fatent G amazes Patented Aug. 1 1962 rives and certain auxiliary equipment as will appear later. Auxiliary supports 16 for the center section are also mounted on the base it The supports 16 are merely legs carrying guide members 18. When the machine is in operation, suitable covers are employed to enclose the mechanism.

As is best shown in FIG. 1, the drive shaft 12 is journalled in ball bearings 20, in the left hand standard 14. A pinion 22 is mounted on the shaft 12 and is splined thereto such that it may be moved into or out of engagement with a gear 24 by manipulating a lever and associated shifting mechanism. This mechanism is a simple fork shifting arrangement comprising a shaft 26 to which is fixed a shifting fork 28. This fork engages a groove 30 in a collar on the pinion 22 in a manner well known in the art and thus is adapted to shift the pinion into and out of driving engagement with the gear 24.

The drive from the pinion is normally transmitted to the gear 24 and thence to a main drive shaft 32. The shaft 32 is journalled near its end in end bearings 34 in the outer walls of both standards 14 and also in near end bearings 36 in the inner walls. Still further support is provided approximately midway between the center of the shaft and both ends by near center bearings 38 mounted in central stationary members 40. These latter members are bolted or otherwise suitably mounted on the inner walls of the standard 14 at both ends. Thus the shaft is supported by six bearings. Firm support such as this is necessary because the shaft is the sole support of nearly all of the operating mechanism of the machine. Furthermore, such support will help to prevent whipping of the long shaft. A thrust bearin 42 is provided at each end of the shaft. Adjustable cupped members 14 are fixed to the standards 14 and on one end adjust the compressive force of a spring 46. A spacer 48 is substituted for the spring 46 on the other end, but in other respects the devices on both ends are the same.

A pair of large bull or sun gears 50 are keyed to the shaft adjacent to and inboard of the near center bearing 38. These gears are the sun gears for two symmetrical planetary gear systems formed by planetary pinions 52 carried about the sun gears 50 by an irregular shaped drum supported partly on the shaft by center bearings 54 and partly on the stationary members 419 by roller bearings 56. This drum is driven from both ends through internal ring gears 58, driven by pinions 69. The pinions 60, in turn, are keyed to similar countershafts 62 journalled in bearing brackets 64 mounted on the inner Wall of the standards 14. These countershafts 62 are driven by the main shaft 32 through gears 66 keyed to the main shaft and meshing with gears 68 on the countershafts 62.

The main drum is substantially symmetrical end-forend, except directly at its center. The ring gears 58 are mounted on the end plates 70 which also support the roller bearings 56. These end plates 70 are connected to the rest of the drum by cover members 72 which may conveniently be bolted to the end plates 70 and to spindle supporting members 74. The spindle supporting members 74 are fastened to inner wall members '76 on both sides of the center section of the machine. Holes 78 may be provided in the wall member 76 into which a bar may be inserted for turning the machine by hand if desired. The wall members 76 hold the center bearings 54 and so help to support the drum. A center hub 84} joins the wall members from both sides and completes the basic structure of the rotating drum. The hub 80 is the only part of the drum assembly which is not symmetrical, being formed wtih a shoulder 82 to which a face plate and clamping or work holding mechanism 84 is fastened.

The work holding mechanism 84 of FIG. 1 represents the mechanism of FIG. and related figures of my aforesaid patent, whereas the work holding mechanism herein is of modified construction, intended particularly for hollow cylindrical workpieces and as a substitute for the work holding mechamsm of FIG. 1. The work holding mechanism of FIGS. 2-4 constitutes an important part of this invention and it will, therefore, be dealt with in detail at a later point herein.

A second spindle support member 86 may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the wall members 76 on each drum, and a cover plate 88 may be used to cover the complete end of the assembly. The cover 88 and spindle support 86 slide freely relative to the guide member 18 and are particularly useful to provide proper lubrication and flushing of chips.

A small oil pump 90 may be mounted in one of the end supports 14 to provide lubrication for the gears and bearings in that support. The pump is driven by a chain 92 engaged with a sprocket 94 on the main shaft and driving a sprocket 96 on the pump shaft. A sump may be formed in the base of the support to catch the oil and supply it to the intake side of the pump 99.

Eight spindles are mounted on each side of the present embodiment and these spindles are driven by the mesh ing engagement of the bull gears 50 with the pinions 52 on the spindles. Each of the spindles is adapted for longitudinal as well as rotary motion, thus being adapted to carry driving heads which drive a tool in a rotary motion while feeding it through a nut blank, or other workpiece, and then following discharge of the finished nut, the heads carried by the spindles return the tool to its original position. It will be apparent that, while the shaft 32 is rotating in one direction, the spindle-carrying drum device will be driven in the opposite direction because of the internal gear drive at the ends of the drum. Thus, the pinions 52 are carried around the bull gears 50 in a planetary manner and consequently are driven at a comparatively high speed. The pinions 52 may be formed as a part of the spindle 98 itself or may be suitably fixed thereto. It will be apparent that the direction of rotation of any or all of the spindles could be reversed by use of an idler gear between the pinion 52 and the bull gear 51}. This might be useful in an operation where it was desired that the spindles on one side rotate in a direction opposite to that of the spindles on the other side. The spindles 98 extend through four of the individual members of the rotating drum. The inner ends of the spindles are journalled in a bronze bearing bushing 100 pressed into the support member 86. Suitable packing is provided between the cover 88 and the flange of the bushing to keep dint and chips isolated from the bearings within the drum member, and to keep cutting fluid and the like within the bushing as will appear hereinafter.

The spindle 98 next passes through the end wall member 76. At this point, a hardened steel bushing 104 is pressed into the member. The surface of the spindle adjacent this bushing is also hardened. A form of ball bearing which will journal the shaft both for rotational and longitudinal motion is provided in the space between the bushing and the spindle. In addition to the rotary motion of a regular ball bearing, the spindle can move longitudinally, rolling the balls of the bearing on the bushing 164. A second bearing 112 is located in an inwardly extending, wide flange 114 formed in the spindle support member 74. This bearing also includes a hardened bushing pressed into an opening in the flange 114 as a race for the hearing. The third bearing 118 includes a bushing pressed into the end plate 70 and on which the hearing may roll. A cover plate 122 may be provided at this end to protect the bearings and retain grease.

At its end nearest the center of the machine, each spindle carries a tool holding head 124. The pinion 52 is located between the first and second bearings 104 and 112, and a follower block 126 which controls the lon gitudinal movement of the spindle is located between the second and third bearings. The spindles are journalled in the follower block by two commercial angular contact ball bearings, one at each end of the block. A fixed position of the spindle relative to the block is maintained by engagement of one of the bearings with a shoulder 130 on the spindle against which the bearing is held by the pressure of a nut 132 against the other bearing. This nut is threaded on the spindle shaft.

The follower block 126 is an irregularly shaped block having two rollers 148 on each block. The rollers 148 may be standard anti-friction bearings mounted on headed pins threaded or otherwise held in the block. They are spaced apart just far enough to straddle a cam ridge 150 formed on cam segment blocks which are held in the stationary part 40 of the support for the machine. Thus, while the rollers straddle the cam ridge 150, of this drum cam, they will translate any change in the location of that ridge into longitudinal motion of the spindle. Movement of the spindles 98 by the drum cam is efiective to carry the heads 124 toward and away from each other and thereby to drive a tool 154 through the blank. Resort may be had to my above-noted application for patent for a more detailed disclosure of the foregoing mechanism.

The invention herein finds particular use in the threading of pipe couplings. For the threading of pipe couplings with straight (not tapered) threads, it is possible to use a relatively simple clamping device for the workpieces, and a related threading tool. 'One form of clamping device suitable for threading pipe couplings is disclosed in FIGS. 2-4. In this embodiment, only four spindles are used and, therefore, four clamps are equally spaced on the work holding disk. A novel workpiece injector and a novel work ejecting mechanism are associated with the clamping device.

The workpiece injector (FIG. 2) includes a wheel 152, driven by a pinion 154, which, in turn, is driven by a ring gear 156 (FIG. 1). In the present embodiment, the gear ratio would be four to one, since four spindles are used.

A plunger member 158 is attached to the wheel 152 by an appropriate crank mechanism to cause the plunger to reciprocate vertically in a guide member 160. The plunger is formed with an offset arm 162 in which is journalled a ram 164. A spring 166, surrounding the ram and engaged between a collar 168 thereon and the arm 162, presses the ram downward. A nut and jam nut arrangement 170 limits the movement of the ram. An extending part 172 of the ram operates in a channel 174 to push the workpiece 176 into the work holders.

The workpieces enter the injector through a chute 178 extending from a hopper or a feed control mechanism such as that shown in my application for United Sates patent, Serial No. 723,891, filed March 25, 1958, for Blank Feeding Device for Metal Working Machines. From the chute, the pieces pass to a pivoted entry piece 180 urged to its normal position by a spring 182.

Spring loaded detent arrangements are used to assure the proper location of the stream of blanks or workpieces 176 in the channel 174. These detents are similar to each other and are formed as an angular device 184 pivoted at the end of one leg at 186 and having the other leg extended toward the channel. At their free ends 188 these latter legs are V-shaped in formation to engage the cylindrical surface of the pipe couplings. It will be recognized that other end formations could be used for other 7 types of workpieces, however. Leaf springs 190 fixed to the frame of the injector urge the lever ends 188 into holding contact with the blanks 176. The upper lever thus prevents any of the blanks from following the plunger 172 on its return stroke, and the lower one holds the lowermost blank from interfering with the rotation of the work holder mechanism.

The primary structure of the work holder 84 is comprised of three plates: a face plate 192 (FIG. 3), a carrier plate-194 and a spider 196. The carrier is of considerable thickness in order to accommodate the length of the couplings 176. A wrench mechanism 198 is loosely mounted in an opening 280 in the carrier 194, and is slidably disposed on a block 202. The block 202 is pivoted on a pin 204 pressed or threaded into the face plate 192. Thus, the wrench has a required amount of freedom of motion.

The block 202 extends into a rectangular opening 206 in a base member 208. A tongue 210 is formed on this member extending outwardly and formed with a serrated jaw 212 diagonally across an upper corner. A movable jaw member 214 having two arms 216 embracing the tongue 210 is pivoted thereto by a pin 218. A serrated jaw 220 is formed on this member spaced from the jaw 212 approximately the diameter of the pipe coupling to be threaded. A spring 222 urges the jaw member 214 upward around the pivot 218 and therefore in a direction to close the jaws. It will be further apparent to those skilled in the art that, because of the location of the pivot point with respect to the jaws, any tendency of the work piece to turn in one direction causes the work to be clamped more tightly in the jaws. Thus, as the tap is threaded through the blank, it is turned in a direction to tighten the holding of the jaws, thus assuring proper holding of the blank. However, as the piece is injected into the wrench, it first hits the edge of the jaw 220, and because of the direction of movement of the work holder, the jaw opens and the workpiece is free to slide in.

An anvil 224 is formed on the face plate 192 in position to engage a blank held in the Wrench, and a corresponding anvil 226 is formed on a clamping member 228 (FIG. 3). A slight ridge 230 is formed on the latter anvil to assure that the blank 176 will be flat against the face plate anvil 224 and not be urged to align itself with the clamping member 228 which is movable.

Because of the size of the wrench mechanism 198, the clamping member 228 must be quite wide. Provision is made therefore to pivot it at the corners. A pair of dowel pins 232 are pressed into the liner and extend into holes 234 in the clamping member. These pins are formed with rounded ends on which the member 228 may pivot, but it is preferred that small ridges 236 be formed near the inner edge of the member 228 as fulcrums, and that the dowels be merely guides to hold the clamp in proper position. The clamp is urged to a closed position by a pair of bolts 238 having heads 239. The bolts 238 extend through the clamping member 228, the carrier 194 and the face plate 192 and are held against the clamp 228 by a spring 23 2 engaging the face plate and a cup 234 which acts as a washer and a guard for the spring. Jammed nuts 235 preserve the proper adjustment of compression in the spring 232. A slot 238 (FIG. 2) and a hollow 240 are formed in the clamp 228 to provide clearance for the tool and head respectively.

Novel discharge means for the finished product is also provided herein. A channel 242 just large enough to pass the finished piece extends through the movable jaw 214, and communicates with a similar channel 244 in the carrier plate 194. These channels form a continuous passage from the jaws 212 and 220 to the outside of the plate and, therefore, provide a passageway for a workpiece, to the periphery of the plate. A detent jaw member 246 is provided to partially obstruct the channel 244 at its outlet to prevent undesired release of the pieces.

Positive means for discharging the pieces includes a ram 248 driven by a connecting link 250 from a crank device 252. This mechanism is actuated in timed relation to the turning of the work holder mechanism by a pinion 254 similar to the pinion 154 and meshed with the same ring gear 178 (FIG. 1). This mechanism thus is timed to operate each time a clamp comes around. The ram 248 is slidably journalled in a guide member 256 which conveniently may be bolted to the frame of the machine. Each of the jaws 212 and 220 is formed 5 with a channel 258 (-FIG. 3) to allow the ram to push the workpiece from between the jaws as shown in FIG. 2.

The workpieces are discharged from the channel 244 into a chute 260 from which they may fall into boxes or kegs, or the like. This discharge is caused by the ram 248 striking the piece between the jaws 212 and 220 and forcing it into the channel 242. In order to accomplish this with the use of as little force as possible, the ram is formed with a sloping surface 262 which first strikes the piece and tends to move it circumferentially as well as radially. The circumferential motion has the effect of causing the jaw member 214 to rock about its pivot 218 and open the jaw. At the same time, the piece passes into the channel 242 and forces the last piece in the channel 244 past a corner 264 of the detent 246 and out into the chute 260. Thus the workpieces are positively injected and ejected.

A tool which is well adapted to be used in my machine to cut tapered threads, particularly on the larger sizes of pipe couplings, is shown in my aforesaid application for United States patent, Serial No. 723,879.

While the novel features of the invention have been illustrated and descr-bed in connection with specific embodiments of the invention, it is believed that these embodiments will enable others skilled in the art to apply the principles of the invention in forms departing from the exemplary embodiment herein, and such departures are contemplated by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a forming machine, a rotatable work holder rotatably driven by said machine including a plurality of wrenches disposed at regularly spaced intervals about said work holder, said wrenches having jaws at the periphery of said rotatable work holder adapted to hold a workpiece during a forming operation, said wrenches and said work holder being formed to provide a continuous passage therethrough extending from immediately adjacent said jaws to an outlet at the periphery of said rotatable work holder adjacent to and at the trailing side of said wrenches, an injector means driven in timed relation to said work holder adapted to insert a workpiece into said jaws, an ejector means driven in timed relation to said work holder and adapted to engage a workpiece held in said jaws to force the same into said passage thereby moving previously injected workpieces through said passage to the discharge end thereof, and detent means adjacent said discharge end of said passage adapted to retain the workpiece nearest said end until forced out by said ejector means.

2. In a forming machine, a rotatable work holder rotatably driven by said machine including a plurality of wrenches disposed at regularly spaced intervals about said work holder, said wrenches having jaws at the periphery of said rotatable work holder adapted to hold a workpiece during a forming operation, said wrenches and said work holder being formed to provide a continuous passage therethrough extending from immediately adjacent said jaws to an outlet at the periphery of said rotatable work holder and adjacent to and at the trailing side of said wrenches, said continuous passage being adapted to hold a plurality of workpieces, ejector means driven in timed relation to said work holder adapted to engage a workpiece held in said jaws to force the same into said passage, said ejector operation being effective to move workpieces through said passage to the discharge end thereof, and detent means adjacent said discharge end of said passage adapted to retain the workpiece nearest said end until forced out by said ejector means.

3. In a forming machine, a rotatable work holder rotatably driven by said machine including a plurality of wrenches disposed at regularly spaced intervals about said work holder, said wrenches having jaws at the periphery of said rotatable Work holder adapted to hold a workpiece during a forming operation, each of said wrenches and said work holder being formed to provide a con- 7 a tinuous passage therethrough extending from immediately end thereof, and detent means adjacent said discharge end adjacent said jaws to an outlet at the periphery of said of said passage adapted to retain the workpiece nearest rotatable work holder and adjacent to and at the trailing said end' until forced therefrom.

side of said wrenches, said continuous passage being adapted to lllurality of g lg fi l g mgans 5 References Cited in the file of this patent riven in time re ation to sai wor 0 er a apte to engage a workpiece and insert the same into said jaws, said UNITED STATES PATENTS injector operation being effective to move previously in- 1,318,485 Donaldson Oct. 14, 1919 jected workpieces through said passage to the discharge 2,405,367 Nichols Aug. 6, 1946 

